Former San Francisco 49er Kwame Harris might be facing criminal charges stemming from a 2012 incident involving a ex-boyfriend. But as far as Harris' sexuality is concerned, his former teammates say they've got his back.

A number of media outlets have expressed surprise at the disclosure -- Harris, who played for the 49ers from 2003 to 2007, had never spoken about his orientation in public or to his fellow players. But tight end Delanie Walker, who played alongside Harris for two seasons, said he didn't see his former teammate any differently.

“It probably wouldn’t affect me, but other guys might feel different,” Walker told USA Today. “If that’s what he’s into, that’s what he’s into. I can’t judge a person for how he feels. Things happen. He was a great player."

Echoing those sentiments were 49ers long snapper Brian Jennings. "We're all there for the common purpose of winning football games," said Jennings. "I don't know if it mattered or if anyone was aware of his sexual orientation."

The 49ers have built a reputation as one of the more gay-friendly teams in the NFL. In August, the team became the first in the league to produce an "It Gets Better" video in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.

The 27-year-old U.S. Olympic soccer player spoke frankly about her sexuality in <a href="http://www.out.com/travel-nightlife/london/2012/07/02/fever-pitch" target="_hplink">an interview with <em>Out</em> magazine</a>, saying she is a lesbian and in a committed relationship with a woman.
While her statement may seem bold, the 27-year-old Rapinoe told Out's Jerry Portwood that she'd just never been asked directly. "I think they were trying to be respectful and that it's my job to say, 'I'm gay,' she said. "Which I am. For the record: I am gay."
Rapinoe, who's been dating her girlfriend -- identified in the magazine only as an Australian soccer player -- for three years, also took time to chat about homophobia in sports and, more specifically, female athletes' perspective on the subject.
"I feel like sports in general are still homophobic, in the sense that not a lot of people are out," she said. Still, she added, "In female sports, if you're gay, most likely your team knows it pretty quickly. It's very open and widely supported. For males, it's not that way at all. It's sad."